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50th anniversary of the events of Sakiet Sidi Youcef

On February 8, 1958, three years after the outbreak of the revolutionary war and following the failure of numerous military operations, the French (colonial) army bombed the village of “Sakiet Sidi Youcef”, this Tunisian border village, located on the road leading to “Souk Ahras”, used as a rear base for the care and reception of war wounded, constituted a strategic zone for the ALN units. Successive French provocations preceded the aggression of “Sakiet Sidi Youcef”. On October 1 and 2, 1957, the Tunisian village was the object of an aerial attack, after France had promulgated on September 1, 1957 a law favorable to the pursuit of Algerian fighters into the interior of Tunisian territory. On January 11, 1958, three hundred ALN fighters led a large and victorious offensive that day in the mountains of “Ouasta” against the 23rd regiment of the French army, causing the death of 15 French soldiers and the imprisonment of 4 members of them. On January 30, 1958, the village suffered a second air raid after a French plane came under fire from elements of the ALN, and to crown this bloody episode, came the savage and indiscriminate bombing of “Sakiet Sidi Youcef” on February 8, 1958. 11 “B26” type planes, 6 other “corsairs” and 8 “Mistrals”, a squadron of bombers, a deluge of fire and iron, it was a day of rest and market, and the human losses were considerable, the horrible massacre caused many victims, the toll was heavy: 79 dead including 11 women and 20 children and 130 injured. This bloody raid led to material damage such as the total destruction of numerous infrastructures in the village, including a completely destroyed school as well as the annihilation of the customs center, the police station and the stores, even the trucks of the International Red Cross were not spared. Following the announcement of this tragic news, the Tunisian authorities quickly went to the scene of the tragedy to see the extent of the damage. The national liberation front immediately expressed its solidarity and support for the Tunisian people. France tried to justify its barbaric act on the grounds of self-defense and the fact of having achieved military objectives. The echo of this bombing resounded throughout the world, international public opinion, dismayed by this macabre event, immediately condemned French policy. Many European, Asian and African countries as well as the United Nations expressed their indignation at the massacre of “Sakiet Sidi Youcef”. The consequences caused by this vile attack and the massacre of the innocent children of Tunisia and Algeria whose blood watered this land, further strengthened the links between the two brother peoples to encourage them to finish the fight until the independence of Algeria. It is in solidarity that the 50th anniversary of the bombing of “Sakiet Sidi Youcef” will be celebrated on February 8, 2008, this great moment in the history of the two peoples, which today serves as a basis for cooperation in all areas and marks the long-term realization of Maghreb integration and unity.